Improvement in clothes-wringers



` H. E. SNHTH.

Improvement` in Clothes Wrngers. 115,372, Patented May 30,1871.

PATENT GFIICH I HAMILTON E. sMITH, or NEwYoHH, N. Y., AssIeNoH 'ro MARY JANE sMIrH,

OF SAME PLACE.

'IMPRVEMENT IN CLOTHES-WRlNGERS.

` Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.`115,372, dated MayY 30, 1871.

To all whom it may concerta-` Be itknown that I, HAMILTON E. SMITH, of

thecty, county, and State of New York, have invented'ra newand` useful Improvement in Ulothes-Wringers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, andin which- Figure l represents a side view of my improved clothes-wringer;` Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3 a

` transverse vertical section thereof through y the line .fr in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several gures. My invention relates to machines for wringing clothes and other articles, in which a flexible roller is combined with rigid ones for wringing out the goods as they are drawn or passed in` between them or certain of them;

and the invention consists in anovel arrangement of said rollers, when combined with.

gearinggby which certain of them are operated, whereby the flexible roller which runs free, and between `which anda lower rigid roller` the goods pass, is pinched or held and driven-in a positive manner, in part by the `lower rigid roller and in part by two upper rigid rollers, arranged at a suitable distance apart. By this combination or arrangement the liieXible roller is driven by frictional contact applied at suitably distributed points or `lines on its periphery to prevent it from i springingout of position 1withol'lt impairing its necessary iiexibility,anda `driving force isapplied to it above, which avoids drag o f the clothes on itbelow. Such combination facilitates the' use of a lsolid rubber roller that is preferable to a mere rubber sleeve on a solid-shaft, both as regards its durability or freedom from bursting, and as regards the which it rotates, and is preferably `free to rise and fall.

Referring to the accompanying drawing- AA represent. the side frames or pieces, suitably connected by cross-ties bv b, and constructed to admit of being clamped to a tub or vessel below. The several rollers take their bearings in these side frames. These rollers consist of a rubber or ilexible roller, B, and three rigid rollers, C C1 G2, all of which latter are drivers of the rubber roller, and of like diameter with one another, or speeded so that their peripheries travel at the same velocity. Said rigid rollers are arranged, the one, (l, below the rubber roller B, and the other'two, G1 O2, above it, at a suitable distance apart. The rubber roller B may be of a corresponding or different diameter, and is hung by a central rod, or preferably end trunnions c c,

to rotate within vertical slots d d in the side frames, which provides for the adjustment of its fractional contact with or pinching action of the rigid rollers by the vertical adjustment of the lower one, G, that is hung in sliding boxesfor thepurpose, and set up or down by screws e e, as required. The rubber roller B may either turn with its central shaft or trunnions or on them 5 but in either case it is desirable to arrange washers or metallic facings f f on or outside of the ends of the rubber roller to protect its ends from chaing and wearing by contact with the side'frames.` The clothes to be .wrung are drawn through or pass in between the rubber rollerB and lower rigid roller C. The driving power may be applied, by means of a handle or crank, g, direct to the lower roller C, butalike positive m0- tion, in suitable directions, `is also communicated to the upper rigid rollers Gl G2 to make them likewise act as drivers of vthe rubber roller, and in a direct manner, while the lower roller C acts through the intervention of the clothes. This is done by means of gear-wheels D, E', and F, fast on the axles or shafts of the rigid rollers, but not gearing directly with one another, but indirectly through the intervention of a loose spur-wheel or pinion, G, which isdriven by the gear-Wheel l) on the roller C, and gears withboth wheels, E and F, t'o rotate the rollers C1 C2 in like directions.

What is here claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination and arrangement, With the ilexble roller B, of the driving-rollers C C162 geared to operate in concert through the intervention of a loose spur-Wheel, G, and fest Wheels or pinions D, E, and F, on the rollers G C1 G2, substantially as specied.

2. The arrangement of the washers f f on the ends of the exible roller B, and between the same and the side frames A A, essentially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

HAMILTON E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

FRED. HAYNES, v R. E. RABEAU. 

